Caught in the Storm
by XxHell-in-my-HeadxX
Summary: Umehito Nekozowa has never really been close to anyone before. Could a chance meeting with a stranger change his look on life forever? All it took, was one day caught in the rain, and no one noticing a girl's pain.


**Here's a tragedy one-shot for you all! Hope you enjoy, and I invoke some emotion with this writing practice. **

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><p>A young man walked down the concrete sidewalk. People surrounding him rushed to their cars, to their jobs, or to their families. Rain poured down in heavy sheets, collecting on his face. It was a dark day, the gray storm clouds covering the sun and hiding him from the light. His black shoes were slowly being soaked, and his raincoat was littered in collected drops of the rain. A cafe sat on the corner, where above a light flickered displaying the sign. You could tell the place was old, but it had been well loved and cared for over the years, remaining clean with a warm presence. The young man stepped inside, his cheeks flushing from the cold air outside. He walked towards a booth by the window, hanging his coat off the back.<p>

The young man wore a black jacket with the hood up, obscuring most of his face, along with his dark green hair. Chains hung from his pants and checkered sweatbands were around his wrists. The most noticeable thing about his appearance though, was his bright cerulean blue eyes, that weren't sad but not happy either.

A young girl wearing black pants and a black collared shirt too big for her small frame walked to his booth. The cafe was fairly empty, and the apron around her waist, as well as the nametag on her shirt reading "Mari" gave away her position as a waitress. She had Black hair, with purple streaks coursing through. Her eyes were blue green, framed by shadows, and her skin was dark. She was seemingly beautiful in a sad way.

"Hi my name is Mari. What can I get for you sir?" she asked in a cheerful voice.

The young man tore his eyes away from her glancing at the menu before he simply saying, "Coffee."

"Black?" she asked.

He just nodded and she left to go get it. When she returned he told her, "My name is Umehito Nekozowa." He had no idea what had compelled him to tell her that. She just smiled.

"You mind if I sit?" she asked. He just shook his head, the girl had no other customers to attend to.

Her blue green eyes studied him before she asked, "So what's got you down? You have that look."

Umehito glanced up surprised. How did she know? "Oh, just sibling issues, you know."

Mari nervously bit her lip before saying, "No I don't. I have no family."

A silence settled over the cafe. "So I have to know. What is wrong with your family? You look pretty tired. I don't know if I can help, but I sure know how to listen."

And then he told her everything. About the Host Club, they made her laugh then get angry the next moment. About Kirimi, that made her awwwweee at my description and get a freaked out face when I mentioned her 'stories.' The two talked for hours, filled with smiles and new inside jokes. The rain finally stopped, causing Umehito to look outside at the darkening sky. "I'd better go."

Mari simply smiled sadly then gave a small wave saying, "Bye Neko!" as he walked out the door.

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><p>But the two didn't say goodbye forever. Umehito came the next day, when the cafe was busier. Mari worked hard, occasionally exchanging a discreet grin from across the room. An old man sat at one table, and Neko watched as the two talked, and tears flowed from the man's eyes. He got up from the table having paid his check, then Mari hugged him. He walked out through the deals, a soft smile in his still watery eyes. Umehito sat till closing, and Mari walked over to the table.<p>

"What was that all about?" he asked.

Mari just smiled and said, "His wife died a few years ago. Today was their wedding anniversary. He missed her so much." She glanced at Neko. "That's what I want you know. Someone to love me that much, someone to miss me when I'm gone."

Neko wanted to say, "I'll miss you." But the words caught in his throat and he just nodded. Mari gave him a curious glance, as if searching for something, before her shoulders slumped. And then Neko went back to his mansion.

He laid in his bed staring at the ceiling. How could this girl have made such an impact on his life in such short time? She was beautiful, she was funny, and had such great dreams. She wanted to help foster kids, and teach them martial arts and music. Neko still didn't know if he even wanted to inherit his father's business. He turned over to his side, then fell asleep thinking of their time together.

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><p>The next time, Neko came at night, as the rain clouds had faded and the day had been bright. It was closing time, and Mari looked so tired and sad. Her face instantly brightened when she saw him.<p>

"Neko you came!"

He just smiled saying, "Yeah, I heard this cafe has the best service in the city." Mari smiled at him then went to the back to grab some rags, then the pair talked as she cleaned.

She turned up the radio and the two danced to the music happy in their small world inside the cafe. The two began swatting at each other with the rags, laughing when they got in a good strike.

They finally settled down and Neko watched as she bided her time cleaning. Suddenly he asked, "Don't you have someplace you need to be?"

Mari replied, "I may have someplace I'm supposed to be but that doesn't necessarily mean I want to be there. I'd rather stay here with you anyways."

Nekozowa just gave a confused glance before smiling. "I have to go, or I'll get in trouble. I'll see you tomorrow."

Mari said, "Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

The two embraced, before Neko gave one last swat with the rag making her laugh. He loved her laugh. He looked up at the sky as he exited the cafe. The sky had been perfectly clear today; telling him tomorrow would be just as beautiful.

Mari's tomorrow would never come.

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><p>The sky had flooded rain, to the bewilderment of all in the city. Neko didn't care, he was too excited to see Mari. He ran down the street to increase their time together, hurrying to their booth. He waited, sighing in disappointment when she wasn't there. Was it her day off? He walked over to the counter and asked the chef, "Excuse me, is Mari off today?"<p>

The chef froze, before his shoulders slumped. He was middle aged, his hair just starting to gray. Crows feet that frame his eyes, showing his many smiles, were downturned in sadness. He looked up at the young man before saying, "You're that kid she was hanging out with these past few days right?"

Neko just nodded, hesitant because of the chef's expression. The chef walked out from behind the counter, flipping the sign on the door to CLOSED. "Come here kid," he said as he sat down in him and Mari's booth.

"I'm Neko. I mean, Umehito," he introduced.

"I'm Mr. Kiseki."

Silence filled the room. Mr. Kiseki looked up and taking a deep shuddering breath said, "Mari's dead."

Umehito's features crumbled as emotions flashed by his eyes. Pain, sadness, and a question; How?

Mr. Kiseki continued, "No one saw it coming. We all thought Mari was a happy girl. She would always smile. She was always there for our customers, for the workers, for me. None of us knew..." he trailed off.

"None of you knew what?" Neko asked.

"None of us knew she'd commit suicide."

Umehito froze. She had committed suicide? "Why?" he choked out.

Her foster mother found her. Mari's been traveling between foster homes for a long time now. They questioned the family, ran some tests. Now I know why Mari wore such baggy clothes. Her body was covered in bruises, and she'd been raped by her foster father. It drove Mari into a depression. But she hid it so well..."

Neko shut his eyes, flinching. The smiles, they'd hidden it. That unknown emotion in her eyes. It was pain. Pain inflicted by no one ever noticing. No one ever cared enough to notice. Neko felt HE should have noticed.

"Last night, she went home late. Her foster father grew angry at her, promising to inflict worse damage if she was ever late again. Mari retaliated, striking him. And he... he fulfilled his promise. And Mari... Mari killed herself."

Neko sat in the booth, both men remaining completely silent, both minds filled with memories. Neko remembered the games, the old man, her laugh, her smile. Sadness fled his mind as he thought of her foster father. "Scum. Bastard. I'm going to make sure he's locked away for Life!"

Mr. Kiseki looked up, his eyes filled with hope.

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><p>It was Mari's funeral. Mr. Kiseki had told Umehito the date and time, but he never showed up. He couldn't see her face, always so alive and vibrant stone cold. As her loved ones left to celebrate her life, and mourn her passage he entered the cemetery. Her headstone was simple and small but surrounded by flowers, proving the effect she had on others.<p>

He stood there in silence as rain began falling. This time, it didn't trouble him. He remembered her words, how she said she always loved the rain, the lightning. As the rain fell down into his hair, he could imagine her hands ruffling his head as she joked. As it thundered, he could imagine when she'd drop a glass, instantly apologizing over and over again. And as the lightning struck, he could remember the way her eyes would spark when she gave a fox-like grin, as if promising that she knew a secret that you were just dying to know.

He studied the flowers he'd brought, their beauty seeming to fade, but their meaning making a lasting impression on him. Beautiful purple thyme filled the bouquet, representing her strength and courage in the face of adversity. A clump of yellow azalea laid, a message to Mari to take care of herself. One white asphodel with red streaks told her of his regrets, and how they will follow her even in death. White periwinkle told of the memories he cherished, and would always cherish in their short time together. Lastly, there was sweet pea, his goodbye, thanking her for the blissful times they shared.

He said his goodbyes to Mari then looked at her epitaph. It reflected her character so well. He would always hold it in his heart.

"_For the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, Do all the good you can, _

_To all the people you can, In all the ways you can, As long as ever you can."_

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><p><strong>So what did you all think? I wanted to develp my writing style. Was I more in depth? I'm also gonna try and put some funny one shots up here, as well as sad ones. What I rally need to work on I bel;ieve, is romance though. o.O<br>**

**R & R please.**

**Don't forget to check out Army of Insanity cowritten and posted on Beau Mercury's profile, 50 Ways to Live Forever written with Niji, and also Sleepytime Tea written by Escape to Ouran. Don't forgetto check out my story A Hidden Melody, and see if you want to adopt it. Be on th lookout for a Naruto Fanfic! **


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